Hair accessories

ABSTRACT

A hair accessory which can be inserted directly into a ponytail (6) and secured therein by means of the ring or band (2) already in place to form the ponytail to provide the user with the appearance of an thicker and longer ponytail. The accessory consists of a weft of hair and longitudinal extending gripping means (3). Once the gripping means is inserted into a ponytail, the device is reliant on the combination of the grip and the pressure from the ring ponytail to hold it in place, and the hair weft then blends in with the user&#39;s natural hair to create a thicker and longer ponytail.

FIELD

The present invention relates to hair accessories, such as hair extension pieces and in particular to devices which can be used to improve the length and volume of a ponytail. More particularly to ponytail extension pieces that can be held in place by the band used to create the ponytail (sometimes known as a bobble).

BACKGROUND

Hair pieces have traditionally been fixed into a head of hair with a clasp or clip. For example, a fashion accessory comprising hair attached to a claw type hair grip that may be attached to a ponytail in order to enhance the volume and length of the ponytail is known. When a thicker and longer ponytail is required, a clip-on ponytail is often the preferred device. However attachment can cause discomfort and it does not always grip firmly to the ponytail incurring the risk that the accessory may fall out. Furthermore, when the ponytail accessory is clipped in, it can be obviously perceived as fake so that it is obvious that one is wearing a hair accessory to promote thicker and longer hair. This is undesirable as the wearer usually wants others to believe that their hair is real, rather than fake.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,867 describes a hair piece that can add volume and length to a ponytail and uses a circular grip to attach the hair piece around the outside of a bobble of a ponytail and also has a hair weft attached to the grip.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,589 boosts the volume of a ponytail but not the length, it has no hair weft, it merely provides a hair grip that clips on at the root of a ponytail (in the middle) and is secured thereto to boost the volume of the ponytail.

SUMMARY

The invention provides a hair accessory that can boost both the volume and length of a ponytail and which slides directly into the head of hair, particularly the already formed ponytail and is retained therein. It is preferred that the ponytail is already formed so that the accessory can be pushed into the already formed ponytail and is held in place by the bobble used to form the ponytail. The head of hair is typically in the form of a ponytail formed with its bobble and the accessory is preferably retained within the head of hair at least in part by the bobble used to create the ponytail. The invention therefore provides a hair piece that is firmly attached which has a natural look and which does not cause any discomfort.

The present invention comprises a hair accessory comprising a segment of hair extending in a first direction secured to an attachment wherein the attachment also extends in the first direction and is provided with means for securing the accessory within and protruding from a head of hair.

The attachment of the hair accessory of the present invention can therefore be pushed directly into the head of hair which may comprise an already formed ponytail so that it is retained therein by the bobble of the ponytail. It may then be locked in place by the bobble used to create the ponytail so providing a dual form of retention due to the shape of the attachment and also the pressure from the bobble. The segment of hair can be such that it will both increase the volume and length of the hair. There are alternative ways of keeping the device in place other than plastic grips; however the main focus of this invention is a device that can be inserted into a ponytail such that the hair grips the attachment and the bobble pressure of the ponytail ensures that it stays in place. Such an accessory can also be used with hair styles other than a ponytail providing they support this attachment system.

Various forms of attaching the attachment may be employed. For example, the attachment means may be a single arrowhead like structure. In another example, the attachment means may be a strip with a plurality of barbs. The arrow head and the strip with a plurality of barbs may be employed such that the arrow head or the barbs are positioned so that they are readily pushed into the head of hair but prevent the hair accessory from being easily detached in use. Alternatively, the attachment means may include a bobble which the hair passes through, engaging a tapered flange at the circumference of the attachment. The tapering being in a direction away from the head of the user, preventing easy removal of the accessory from the head of hair. In another version the attachment means may be provided with a hook to engage with the already formed ponytail.

The attachment may be metal or plastic and should be designed to have adequate strength with the minimum increase of weight. The attachment may be removable from the weft of hair that is part of the accessory so that it can be used with other wefts of hair perhaps of different sizes, shapes and/or colours.

The hair that is employed in the accessory may be natural, human or animal or may be synthetic.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and FIGS. in which show alternate forms of a hair device according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a hair device on its own.

FIG. 2 shows the hair device of FIG. 1 from an alternative view.

FIG. 3 shows a female who is about to insert the hair device of FIG. 1 into her ponytail.

FIG. 4 shows a female with the hair device inserted into her ponytail.

FIG. 5 shows another hair device of the invention employing an alternate means of attachment about to be inserted into an already formed ponytail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings in which the reference numerals refer to like parts, FIG. 1 displays a hair device of the invention; FIG. 4 shows the hair device (20) of FIG. 1 attached to the ponytail. The attachment (6) of the hair device (20) is made up of a cylindrical body (1) with grips (3) attached to the cylindrical body that allow the device to be smoothly inserted into a ponytail (5). Once inserted, the grips keep the hair device (20) firmly gripped in the ponytail (5). The cylindrical body (1) extends between a distal end (12) and a proximal end (14) of the attachment (6). The hair device (20) can be placed into the ponytail (5) already formed with a bobble (7) so that the hair weft (10) is able to blend in with the user's natural hair; the attachment (6) relies on the pressure from the bobble (7) used to create the ponytail (5) to hold it in place. The hair weft (10) is firmly attached to the hair device by an attachment band (2) which surrounds the hair weft (10) and compresses the hair tightly so that the hair is unable to fall out. FIG. 2 shows an alternative view of the hair device (20), the hair device is simply inserted into a ponytail to provide a longer and thicker ponytail. FIG. 3 shows a female with her natural hair tied in a ponytail (5) by means of the bobble (7), her hair is short and thin and she requires more volume, the hair device (20) is displayed near her ponytail (5) and is about to be inserted into the ponytail (5), and the FIG. therefore shows the direction in which the hair device (20) is inserted. FIG. 4 displays the finished result and shows how one will appear once the hair device (20) is inserted. As one can see the hair device can be inserted safely and instantly, providing instant length and volume. The accessory is held in place by the combination of the attachment (6) and the bobble (7) and can be removed when the bobble is removed to release the ponytail (5).

FIG. 5 shows an alternate form of hair piece in which the attachment means includes a bobble (7) in communication with a flange (9) of the cylindrical body (1) to secure the hair device (20) within a pony tail (5) of a head of hair. The cylindrical body (1) of the attachment (6) has a first tapered portion (17) and a second tapered portion (18) located on both sides of a midpoint (16), the first tapered portion (17) starts at the proximal end (14) of the attachment (6) and increases in diameter to the cylindrical portion (16). The second tapered portion (18) decreases in diameter from the midpoint (16) to the attachment band (2).

Any suitable materials can be used to make the hair device of the present invention, the hair weft can be of different thickness, synthetic or natural hair and can be of different colour which can be selected according to the wishes of the user. The device can vary in size depending on how long and thick one desires their ponytail and the device does not necessarily require the plastic grips it has to keep it in place. 

1. A method for attaching a hair accessory to extend a length and volume of a ponytail comprising: i) gathering a bundle of hair; ii) securing the bundle of hair with at least one bobble, forming a ponytail; and iii) pressing a hair accessory through the bobble and into the ponytail; wherein the hair accessory includes a cylindrical body, the cylindrical body includes a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end is connected to an attachment band that secures a weft of hair to the hair accessory.
 2. The method for attaching the hair accessory of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body is provided with a plurality of barbs to secure the hair accessory within the pony tail.
 3. (canceled)
 4. (canceled)
 5. The method for attaching the hair accessory of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body has a first tapered portion and a second tapered portion.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The method of attaching the hair accessory of claim 5, wherein the first tapered portion increases in diameter from the proximal end to a midpoint of the cylindrical body, and the second tapered portion decreases in diameter from the midpoint of the cylindrical body to the attachment band; wherein the hair accessory is secured within the ponytail by the pressure of the bobble against the bundle of hair and the second tapered portion of the projection.
 8. The method of attaching the hair accessory of claim 2, wherein the projection of the hair accessory is inserted into the ponytail within the bobble; and wherein the accessory is held in place within the ponytail by the plurality of barbs and the pressure due to the band employed to create the ponytail. 